Revolving doors between the private sector and Revenu Québec | Liberals want to tighten tax ethics

The Liberal Party of Quebec is asking Finance Minister Eric Girard to modify the code of ethics for civil servants to avoid the comings and goings of tax experts between the private sector and Revenu Québec.

Wednesday, The Press reported how lawyer Mathieu Gendron left the agency’s division that fights against aggressive tax planning in October to join BCF. He then took on an advisory mandate in December for the co-founder and ex-CEO of Gildan Sportswear Greg Chamandy, in the context of a 10 million litigation against his ex-colleagues from the tax authorities.

It was Mathieu Gendron himself who was responsible for his file at the Heenan Blaikie firm, before joining Revenu Québec in 2014. The tax authorities refused Chamandy tax deductions of 65.8 million, in an arrangement involving large transfers of funds to his private bank in Barbados.

Inspired by Ottawa?

During a session of the Public Finance Committee, the Liberal critic for government administration, Marwah Rizqy, suggested that the minister take inspiration from Ottawa to avoid such situations in the future.

“At the federal level, there is a one-year restriction for ex-civil servants,” she said in committee.

The code of ethics for Canadian government employees prohibits them during this period “from intervening on behalf of another person with a department or agency with which he has had official dealings”.

At Revenu Québec, the code prohibits only “employees who have acted in relation to a procedure” from then acting on behalf of others “in respect of the same procedure”.

Both texts prohibit civil servants from advising anyone using confidential information from their former employer. But the Revenu Québec code does not mention any period.

For Marwah Rizqy, this is a shortcoming and the Quebec text needs to gain bite.

“Especially in the division called aggressive tax planning,” she said in committee, speaking of the department where Mathieu Gendron worked before joining BCF and returning to Chamandy’s service. “That’s like a – I’ll put it this way – elite unit. In the sense that they tackle the biggest cases of tax evasion and avoidance. So those who work there, we want to make sure that it stays airtight. There are very important secrets. »

An amendment to be expected

Marwah Rizqy hopes the minister himself introduces an article in his next budget omnibus – the bill that serves to implement the measures announced in the budget. “If I see it’s not there, I’ll table my amendment during detailed study,” she said.

“Good ideas come from everywhere! “, reacted Eric Girard in committee. Through his press secretary Claudia Loupret, however, he did not want to come forward. “If she files an amendment, we’ll see,” she said.

The minister said he intended to raise the issue with Revenu Québec during a meeting scheduled for Thursday.